How does Acts 16:4 connect with the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15? Setting the Scene Paul, Silas, and the newly enlisted Timothy have just launched out on what we often call Paul’s second missionary journey. Their first order of business is to revisit the congregations in southern Galatia—Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia—strengthening these young believers and making sure everyone is on the same doctrinal page. Quick Recap of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) • Issue on the table: Must Gentile converts be circumcised and keep the full Mosaic law? • Key voices: Peter (vv. 7-11), Paul and Barnabas (v. 12), James (vv. 13-21). • Spirit-guided verdict: Salvation is by grace through faith alone; Gentile believers are not required to be circumcised. • Practical guidelines (vv. 28-29): “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements: • Abstain from food sacrificed to idols, • from blood, • from the meat of strangled animals, • and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.” • A written letter is drafted, carried first to Antioch in Syria, and then slated for distribution throughout the Gentile churches. Bridge Verse—Acts 16:4 “As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.” This single verse functions like a hinge, swinging the doctrinal decision of Acts 15 out into the wider world of everyday church life. How Acts 16:4 Connects with Acts 15 • Same content, broader audience – The “decisions” (Greek: dogmata) are exactly the rulings hammered out at the Council. Paul and Silas are now courier-teachers, making sure every congregation hears and embraces them. • Apostolic authority affirmed – Acts 15 showed the apostles and elders, guided by the Holy Spirit, speaking for the whole church. Acts 16:4 shows local churches receiving those decrees “to obey,” underlining that this was not mere advice but binding truth (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:19). • Unity protected – By getting everyone on the same doctrinal footing, potential Jew-Gentile rifts are healed before they widen (compare Galatians 2:11-14). • Mission momentum preserved – Without circumcision as a barrier, the gospel can spread unhindered to Gentiles. Verse 5 immediately reports: “So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” • Illustrates living submission to Scripture – The Council’s decision is word from God; obedience to it equals obedience to Him (John 14:23). Paul models joyful submission, showing that even apostles operate under the authority of God’s revealed will. Why This Matters for Us • Doctrine shapes practice – Clear gospel truth (salvation by grace alone) fuels healthy church growth (Acts 16:5). • Humble acceptance of Spirit-led counsel – Whether it’s a first-century decree or New-Testament teaching we read today, yielding to God’s Word guards unity (Ephesians 4:3) and advances mission. • The unbroken reliability of Scripture – Acts 15 reveals; Acts 16 demonstrates. What God declares, He preserves and enforces, proving His Word trustworthy, literal, and fully sufficient for life and godliness (2 Timothy 3:16-17). |
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